Wheel Women in Focus: Sepia Saturday

This week's Sepia Saturday prompt photograph of three girls with bicycles, c.1925   made me take a look at  the topic of women cyclists  - or as,  one journalist in the 1890's called them,  "wheelwomen". 

 "Velocipedes"   were an early form of bicycle, followed by the penny farthing and the boneshaker.   

 

The introduction of the "safety bicycle" brought in the first hey days for leisure cycling in the 1890's - with women not going to be left behind.  For women, cycling  came to represent a freedom they had not experienced before, and the activity quickly became associated with the wider movement of  women's emancipation.   

But there  were public outcries at the prospect of these  changes in the social norm with much of the criticism focusing on women's dress, notably the new style of bloomers and knickerbockers. These offered more freedom for movement than women's  usual restrictive dresses, but he  fashion became the subject of ridicule in cartoon of the time.

   

 

Newspapers of the day  abound  with letters,  articles  and reports  on  the vision of women riding around the countryside.   

In 1894 the Society of Cyclists called  for  "Rational Dress for  Wheelwomen" 

An angry  letter condemned "a young woman who spends most of her time in riding  on a man's bicycle, has a good deal to learn in respect of simplicity and neatness of attire". 

A clergyman refused to give communion to women who turned up for church in bloomers or knickerbockers.  

However some  doctors said firmly that, " as those best qualified to judge, they were almost unanimous in declaring that the average standard of health among women, who cycle had shown an appreciable elevation."

So this was the image portrayed in advertisements and posters that conveyed a sense of fun and freedom. with illustrations of happy cyclist  enjoying the fresh air and exercise.  

As one protagonist said 

A  most exciting and delightful mode of travel.

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Below cycling photographs from my local and family history:   

 

 

 Three photogrpahs of women cyslists in Earlston in the Scottish Borders 

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But what of my ancestors?  No  photographs exist of them on bikes.  My grandfather cycled or walked everywhere until he died.   For years, my aunt cycled  in all weathers more than five  miles to her work as a teacher  on a bike with a basket on the front handle bars. When I came to get my first bike, the basket like hers was my "must have" item - plus a bell!

 

Here is an mage of my husband's Great Aunt Pat,   who road her bicycle  during the war  to her work in  the Auxiliary Fire Service in south east England - and the only photograph  I have of a woman wearing trousers - before they became a staple fashion item. 
   

Fast forward  more than 110 years from the first image, and here is my granddaughter in the casual dress of the day, plus the  obligatory helmet as "health and safety"  considerations reign supreme.   What a contrast!

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Sources of Information:

• Pixabay Free Images
• Find My Past British Newspapers Online 
• Auld Earlston Blog  
• History of Women on Wheels

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Sepia Saturday gives bloggers an opportunity to share 
their family history and memories through photographs.

 

 Click  HERE to see tales from other Sepia Saturday  bloggers. 

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